Fanny packs making a comeback.
Popular 1980s pouch is becoming all the rage again
Ashley Drennan is a trendsetter. When she turned 19 years old, the Charlottetown, P.E.I., woman started going out in town. Because she was always putting her purse down somewhere and losing it, she needed a better system — something stuck to her body to hold the few things she needed to tote around, like her ID, bank cards, lipstick and candy.
A light bulb went off. Drennan knew exactly what she needed: a fanny pack.
“I didn’t really care if it was out of style. It was just very convenient for me,” she said, referring to the small pouch that clips around your waist, first made popular in the 1980s.
At first, Drennan said people thought it was funny that she would wear them all the time and even had several in different colours and designs to match her outfits.
Soon afterward, she noticed other girls were also wearing them to be trendy.
Now fanny packs are at the height of fashion and Drennan is seeing them more frequently in stores. She even has her eye on a Louis Vuitton one.
CONVENIENCE FACTOR
Jennifer Dawson, who makes bags and wallets through her Mount Pearl, N.L., business Lucky Penny, isn’t surprised at the resurgence of the fanny pack.
“They are really convenient, so it makes sense to wear them,” she said. “People love the option to go hands-free, not having to worry about carrying a purse around and just having what you need on you.”
Lori Lewis, an artisan in Halifax who operates a business that makes handmade zippered pouches and accessories called Petal and Crow, said she was aghast when her daughter asked for a fanny pack.
Lewis couldn’t believe they were back in fashion.
Lewis wore fanny packs back in the early 1990s, but by the mid- to late-’90s, she said she wouldn’t be caught dead wearing one.
Of course, back then, there was only one choice: a black, flimsy, nylon, banana-shaped fanny pack, worn around the waist or hips. Everyone wore one, she said.
She believes these bags — now often referred to as “waist bags” or “belt bags” — are making a comeback because they are so functional.
“Most of the fanny packs I come across online are gorgeous and well constructed, with awesome features added like interior pockets, separate compartments and superior hardware,” she said.
Stores like Lululemon, Old Navy and MEC are mass-producing variations of the utilitarian pack, giving it a slick, hip, sporty vibe, said Lewis.
“With the surge in the maker’s movement and buy local these days, original designs with all manner of shapes and sizes and beautiful fabrics are popping up, making these practical bags very desirable again,” said Lewis.
She also thinks there is a definite correlation in the pack’s recent popularity with the addition of our newest accessory of late: the mask.
“Folks need a safe and clean and convenient place to house their masks when out and about and do not want to be digging around on the bottom of a backpack, tote bag or big purse,” said Lewis. “The fanny pack is super handy and fulfils this need very well.”
NOSTALGIA
Dawson also says there is a nostalgia factor for some people. For others, the modern fanny packs are a retro or novelty thing, as the age group that’s now buying the fanny packs wasn’t born when they were big originally.
Kayla Short, a Halifax fashion blogger and influencer with Short Presents, said whenever we are borrowing trends from another era, the idea is to take the elements of what we like and bring them into the current day.
Fashion is always cyclical — trends always come and go, said Short.
“We’ve obviously seen some other ’80s trends come back, the voluminous sleeve for example, and we are definitely seeing some major trends coming from the ’70s, actually, right now, with the resurgence of flared and widelegged jeans and pants,” she adds. “I also think because of COVID-19, we are heavily leaning towards athleisure styles because most people aren’t working in the same capacities they were before.”
People are opting for comfort and Short is seeing a lot more causal trends coming to the forefront.
For instance, she said, sneakers are being paired with skirts, and other casual fabrics and items are coming into everyday wear. And that’s where the fanny pack comes into play.
According to Short, everyone and anyone is wearing fanny packs, whether for practical reasons or as a fashion accessory. There’s also no age limit as to who is wearing them, said Short.
“Trends should never be isolated to any one age demographic. Who wants to grow old thinking ‘my best fashion years are behind me?’” said Short, noting as we get older, we feel more confident and secure with ourselves, which she hopes translates into exploring fashion trends, too. “How you keep trends like this modern is that you combine it with other current trends. It really comes down to your entire look, what other pieces you’re combining it with, the colours and/ or textures, fabrics, and how you’re wearing your hair and makeup.”
NEW TWIST
Modern fanny packs are getting an updated twist.
Lewis had one recent customer ask for a wristlet bag that could convert to a fanny pack. Lewis customized a piece for her, and both she and the customer were thrilled with the outcome.
“That bag is now walking the streets of Barcelona and that gives me a little thrill,” Lewis said.
Another way these pouches are being modernized is through the use of a crossbody bag. Lewis has received several requests for these, so she designed something that fits a cellphone, keys, cash, a mask and lip balm. It also has credit card slots on the interior wall. Although it’s technically a crossbody bag, the adjustable strap easily converts the bag into a “waist bag” if desired, she said.
Dawson has added an extra convenience to her bags, marketing some of hers to dog walkers. With a rivet press and grommets, she adds a hole to the fanny pack for easy access to dog waste bags.
“They have been a real hit,” she said.
Short encourages people to rock the fanny pack for however long the trend lasts.
“Take advantage of it,” she advises.
Whether you opt to wear your fanny pack causally, with bike shorts, oversized sweaters/t-shirts, and chunky shoes, or with fancier looks like blazers, trousers and bodycon dresses, or even as a crossbody bag, Short said to have fun experimenting and adding a little sporty element to your overall look.
“Fashion should be explored and not be full of so many rules,” she said.